Shloka 2.100.38

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma (Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare)

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्न लौकायतिकान्ब्राह्मणांस्तात सेवसे।।अनर्थकुशला ह्येते बालाः पण्डितमानिनः।।।।

Transliteration

kaccin na laukāyatikān brāhmaṇāṃs tāta sevase | anarthakuśalā hy ete bālāḥ paṇḍitamāninaḥ ||

Translation

Dear one, may you not keep company with those brahmins who are worldly-minded skeptics; though childish, they fancy themselves learned and are skilled only in bringing harm.

Context

Dear brother, I hope you do not serve those brahmins who are atheists, who foolishly think of this world alone and fancy themselves as learned. They only bring disasters.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• brāhmaṇa
• laukāyatika

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Choose counselors aligned with dharma and truth; wrong intellectual pride and cynical counsel can corrupt judgment and lead to adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma cautions Bharata about the influence of advisers, warning against association with harmful, self-styled ‘learned’ skeptics.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment): the ability to distinguish genuine wisdom from pretended learning.